Customer password failures

[athena]

We are on a Linux server processing about 500 orders a month with zencart 1.5.1 and all seems well except:

We get an email about this about once a month (have to think most don't bother to tell us and move on) and this guy says it happens to him every time he comes to buy:

Everytime I log on to buy something the site does not accept my login
and password and I have to request a new one and do the whole process over
again. Can you check on this?

Customers don't have to reset their passwords every 90 days like admin, do they?

[DrByte]

Customers don't have to reset their passwords every 90 days like admin, do they?

Correct. Customer passwords don't expire.

[athena]

Thanks for the quick response.

Are there any other things I can check to remedy this? I have had some issues with the COWA mod in the past so do not have it installed but other than user error on the password are there any known problems on zencart's end, maybe the way sessions are handled? that could help us respond to this?

[dbltoe]

One thought, since you don't indicate whether there are other areas of concern, is that the database table may be having problems. You might check the table for problems.
If using cpanel, open phpMyAdmin and open the database -- then the table. Click on the Operations Tab and then Check table in the Table Maintenance area.

[DrByte]

What's unique about that particular customer?
What computer do they use?
What operating system?
What browser?
What payment methods have they used? What was the first payment method on the first order? And on the last one?
What are they buying?
Are these physical products, or are they virtual?
How did they find your site? Do they come to you via marketing email blasts? or search engines? or bookmarked URLs in their browser favorites? other?

What plugins/addons are on your site? In what was is your site different from a brand new original Zen Cart install without any customizations done to it?

[athena]

Thanks. This problem was bought to my attention by our customer service. This particular guy is a good customer over a few years so I'll contact him myself and pose these questions to him. I'll post back if I find a resolution.

[athena]

What's unique about that particular customer?
What computer do they use?
What operating system?
What browser?
What payment methods have they used? What was the first payment method on the first order? And on the last one?
What are they buying?
Are these physical products, or are they virtual?
How did they find your site? Do they come to you via marketing email blasts? or search engines? or bookmarked URLs in their browser favorites? other?

What plugins/addons are on your site? In what was is your site different from a brand new original Zen Cart install without any customizations done to it?

1. Mac mini (PowerPC G4 (1.2)
2. Mac OS X 10.5.8 (9L30)
3. Safari
4. 3 ways...via bookmark/typed in address line/Google search & select

He also said our first email to change his password did not work.

Our server is shared with our otherwise excellent hosting company which has been troubled by this WordPress virus where an email sent out to WordPress blog followers has a barrage of spam emails attached to it. They have been going off line intermittently every Monday over it, but less often as they seem to be getting a handle on it. Keeps our Ship Station tracking info post backs inconsistent, especially after this past holiday weekend. I can't see any pattern other than that but the day this happened to him was a Wednesday which is usually a trouble free day with the shop, but I'm guessing our server blipping off and on while they work on the server has something to do with all this. I'll tell him that... and complain to our hosting company... AGAIN.

[balihr]

Although it might seem as a lot of work for one single customer, you might consider installing the Encrypted Master Password (here) - this will allow you to go to the frontend login page, use customer's email address and your master password and you'll login to his account. Then go to My Account page and change his password to something like John123 (use Master PW as old PW). Next, log out and try logging back in, but this time using his email address and the new password. If it works for you, just notify him to use that new password and instruct him to change it himself after he logs in. In case it doesn't work for him, you have a problem (most likely caused by HIS computer).

An alternative would be messing through phpMyAdmin, copy your already-stored password into his password field and then login to his account using your password and change it for him. Do this ONLY if you know what you're doing.

[mprough]

Tell him to try another browser, Chrome for example... This is going to be a session handling issue with his Mac/Safari version or settings. Installing Chrome is the fastest way to prove it.....

~Melanie